Tank gauge



Aug. 7, 1934.

C. L. RUSS TANK GAUGE 4Filed Feb. 6, 1933 Q INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 7, 1934 TANK GAUGE `Charles L. Russ, Phoenix, Ariz. I

Application February 6, 1933, Serial No. 655,489

8. Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in tank' gauges, and its objects' are as follows:-

First, to provide a tank gauge in the arrangement of which provision is made for abstracting the float from the tank without having to disconnect any parts of the permanent installation and thereby rendering said installation inoperative even for a short period.

Second, to so embody the principle of the invention in the dispensing vsystem of an underground tank that the oat can be withdrawn from the tank through the liquid intake pipe for inspection as to fluid tightness and repair.

Third, to provide a cylindrical float which is sufficiently smaller than the liquid intake pipe to enable its withdrawal and restoration through said pipe by means of a permanently attached, normally idle pull cord. v

Fourth, to provide said oat with a wire or other guard converging from one end of the float toward an attaching point for the pull cord, said guard directing the float into the lower end of the intake pipe upon drawing up the'cord for the removal of the float. 1

Fifth, to indent the oat at places in order to secrete means to which the carrying cord is attached, the disposal of said means below the outer surface of the oat preventing them from obstructing the movement of the float through thel intake pipe. l

Sixth, to provide those pipe fittings of the dispensing system at which the carrying cord goes around a bend with a liquid-tight pulley mounting.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a partially sectional and elevational View of a liquid dispensingapparatus, particularly illustrating the embodiment of the improved gauge.

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 2 2 of Figure 1 illustrating the liquid-tight pulley mounting in one of the pipe fittings.

Figure 3 is a partially elevational and sectional view of the improved float.

The invention is particularly adaptable to storage tanks which are so situated that the amount of liquid ascertained. The particular type of tank in mind is the storage tank 1 comprising part of the gasoline dispensing system which embraces the -pump 2. This tank, as is customary in service stations,

is buried well below the ground line 3. The usual contained thereby cannot readily be method of measuring the amount of gasoline contained thereby is to reach down with a wantage rod. The use of such a rod requires the frequent uncapping of the intake pipe 4, and unless the rod is carefully stored in a clean place it isplikely to carry with it a quantity of dirt which may ultimately clog a part of the system.

The nature and operation of the improved tank gauge is such that the intake pipe 4 does nothave to be uncapped f or an ascertainment of the amount of gasoline in the tank. It further provides a perpetual indication so that the operator will always know how much gasoline there is in store. There is a float 5 inside of the tank 1. The float rides 'the surface of the gasolineor 70 other liquid 6. It is cylindrical in shape, chiey for the purpose yof enabling its abstraction from the tank 1 through the intake pipe 4.

End closures such as 7 (Fig. 3) make the float 5 liquid-tight. Floats for -indicating purposes 75 such as herein contemplated have been known to spring leaks. The leak may be of suchan extent as to seriously impair its function as the means `for operating an' indicator. The inaccesy sibility of the underground storage tank makes it impossible to use a float with satisfaction because of the lack of provisions for getting atthe oat for periodic inspections and a possible repair. One of the purposes of the invention is to enable the abstraction of the oat forv these purposes,and this without having tc'render the dispensing system inoperative even for a short time.

' A guard 8 consisting of a converging structure, extends `from one end of the oat 5 (Fig. 3) and terminates in an attaching point 9. The guard may comprise a plurality of wires starting at the periphery of the end and converging toward the point 9. A pull cord 10 is attached at the lower end to the point 9( Its purpose is to up-end the i'loat 5 and draw it through the intake pipe 4. In 95 this operation the converging guard 8 directs ythe iicat 5 into the lower end of the pipe.

A carrying cord '11 has branches 12 which are attached to the oat 5 at distances from each other. The cords 10, 11 may comprise anyziiex- 100 ible elements. The float is'indented vat 13 (Fig.

3) in order to secrete means 14 to which to secure the free ends of the branches 12. The means 14 may comprise hooks, eyes or the like.

VThe purpose'of'the indentations A13 is to dispose 105 ward movement of the float together with the branches 12 which will lie over against the side of the iioat'when the latter is up-ended.

The pipe 4 has a T 15 at its upper end. One of the branches of lthe T is screwed onto the pie. The opposite branch has a plug or cap 16 which serves as a closure. Upon desiring to` ll the ltank 1 the T 15 is uncapped and the gaso- `line'is poured in. The right angularbranch of the T has a horizontal pipe 17 screwed into it. This is also underground." 'I'his pipe is in communication with a standpipe 18, connection being made between the two by an elbow 19.

The pipes. 4, 17 and 18, and as many more as Will be needed in actual practice, generally constitute a housing through which .most of the carryifng cord 11 goes. The intake pipe 4 is further ldistinguished as a conduit, and in this term it is intended to include the upright portion of the T 15 so that advantage may be taken of the general designation of the conduit as a passageway reaching from the tank 1 to .the approximate earth level. It is through the conduit, including the pipe 4 and T 15 that the float 5 may be abstracted for inspection at the earthlevel.

Pulley mountings are situated in the respective T 15 and elbow 19. These elements are herein known as pipe ttings, and they are distinguished from ordinary pipe fittings by being situated at places where the carrying cord 11 goes around bends. 'The cord 11 is applied to pulleys 20 (Fig. 2) `at these bends (Fig. 1). The description of one mounting will serve for all. The pulley 20 (Fig. 2) is rotatably mounted on an axle 21. This is made of brass or other non-corrosive metal. Its threaded ends receive cone shaped brass or copper. plugs 22 which are driven into cone shaped holes in the sides of the T 15 from vthe outside.

When thse plugs are tightened they make a liquid-tight joint. This is especially necessary at the T 15 to prevent the escape of gasoline. At 19 it is 'desirable to .prevent the in-seepage of water.

It is to be observed thatthe upperl end of the pull cord 10 is Iattached to the carrying cord 11 approximately at 23. There is an appreciable sag in the pull cord 10, and it is normally idle.'

It simply goes up and down with the ii'oat 5 and the adjacent component of the carrying cord 11, and does not come into play until it is desired to abstract the iloat. At that time the `cap 16 is removed and the cord 1l is caught and drawnA up with a hook. When thecord 10 makes its appearance it is pulled upon so as to up-end and abstract the iloat. I

At the upper Iend of the standpipe 18 there is a large pulley 24 over which the cord 11 passesl before being finally attached to a movable indicator 25. The pulley 24 is journaled in a curved guard 26 which is attached to the top end of the standpipe 18. The latter provides a support for the arms 27 of a scale 28. This scale has guides 29 between which the indicator 25 rides. `There are graduations 30 on the scale, and these can be made to read injterms of any desired`quantites of liquid 6 in the tank 1.

At the ends of the scale the graduations are far apart. They gradually become narrower toward the center so that there may be a proper reading of volumes in agreement-with the tank 1 which is cylindrical. It will beunderstood that when the tank is full there will` be a lesser,

in dispensinglo gallons from the top and bottom sections of the tank than it will drop when dispensing ten gallons when the liquid level is in the exact middle of the tank.

The operation is readily understood and in this respect the operation of the float 5 is referred to. First of all it must be explained that the oat 5 and indicator 25 are balanced. The idea is that the rising and falling of the oat 5 will be exactly simulated by the indicator 25. .This rising and falling occurs normally d uring the lling and emptying of the tank 1.

Now suppose it is suspected that the oat 5 has sprung a leak, or suppose that it is merely desired to inspect the oat in order to be sure that it is in working order. plained, the operator will remove the cap 16 and reach down with a hook to catch the cord 11. It will be necessary to removethe pulley 20 from the T 15 so as to clear the way for the oat 5, it being noted that the pulley 2 0 is situated in the center of the T in order to prevent wearlof the cord against projecting parts of the conduit.

The pulley is easily removed by unscrewing the conical plugs 22 (Fig. 2) from the 'axles 21. It would be necessary to unscrew one of the plugs and slip the axle out while holding on to the pulley. Upon pulling the cord '11 through the top opening of lthe T 15 the end of the pull cord 10 will be seen. This the operator must draw upon in order to up-end the oat 5. The guard 8 directs the float into themouth of the pipe 4. Having finished the inspection of the oat the latter is let down'through the pipe and into the tank 1, the pulley 20 and axle 21 being replaced.

At this 'point it should be understood vthat although a goodly portion of the conduit is buried, spaces will be left, at the sides of the T 15 large enough to enable the operator to reach down for the manipulation of the plugs 22. TheseL spaces are shown in Figure 2.

1. An elongated float, a carrying cord extending from the float to work a liquid level indicator, a normally slack pull cord for up-ending the elongated float and withdrawing it lengthwise through a conduit, and a guard on the leading end As previously exwhich includes a buried tank, a float supported by liquid in the tank, a conduit reaching from the tank to the approximate earth level, a carrying cord extending from the float partially through the conduit to a liquid level indicator, a pull cord normally idle with respect to the float and'having one end accessible at the upper end of the conduit for pulling, and a converging structure on the float havingthe other end of the pull cord attached thereto, said structure guiding -the iloat into the lower end of the conduit upon pulling on .the pull cordfor the withdrawal of the float through the conduit.

3. A gauge for liquid dispensing apparatus which includes a buried tank, a oat supported by liquid in the tank, a conduit reaching from the tank to the approximate earth level, a pull cord extending from the oat partially through the,14'5 -conduit and to a liquid level indicator, a pull 'end of the conduit, and a converging guard struc- 150 :,aeaisc `end of the cord is attached, and means for abstracting the float from the tank through the conduit for inspection at the earth surface, said iloat having an indentation in which the attaching means is secreted to avoid an obstruction on the outer surface of the iloat.

5. A gauge for liquid dispensing apparatus which includes a buried tank. a float supported by liquid in the tank, said iloat being adapted to control a liquid level indicator, a carrying cord extending from the iloat to the indicator, means housing most of the cord, said means including a conduit reaching from the tank to the approximate earth level, said conduit comprising the liquid intake for the tank, and means for abstracting the float from the tank, said means comprising a pull cord attached to the iloat and extending to a point of attachment to the carrying cord, said point being accessible at the upper end of the conduit.

6. In a gauge for liquid dispensing apparatus which includes a buried tank, a iloat supported by liquid in the tank, a housing extending from the tank to a liquid level indicator, a carrying cord secured at its ends to the float and indicator and being lmostly situated in the housing, said housing including pipe fittings whereat it makes necessary bends, cord supporting structure in each Afitting comprising a pulley, an axle for the pulley,

said axle having threaded ends, and cone shaped plugs screwed on said ends and wedging into Similarly shaped holes in the sides 0f .the ttingto make a liquid-tight joint.

'1. Ina gauge for liquid dispensing apparatus 4which includes a tanknormally inaccessible,ailoat supported by liquid inthe tank, said iloat having a flexible element adapted to connect with a liquid levelindicator, a conduit resellingv from the tank to an accessible location, said conduit h ousing said element including at least one bend, a pulley in said bend by which said element is guided, and a liquid-tight mount for the pulley comprising cone shaped plugs to engage similar holes in opposite sides of the bend, and an axle threadedly carried by the plugs and going through ,100

the pulley.

8. A gauge iloat having an indentation in its side, cord attaching means situated in the in#- dentation so as to bebelow the outer surface of the iloat, and a guard attached to and converging from one end of the iloat. .the tree extremity of the guard having a cord-attaching point.

CHARLES L. RUSS.

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